Lectures Monday and Tuesday

We had excellent lectures on Monday and Tuesday.
Dr. Momani, a professor of political science, discussed the Hashemites. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. When I told him that I was from Austin, he said great city that he loved to visit. He compared King Hussein with King Abdullah. Hussein delegated implementation and details to others while Abdullah is much more hands on who wants results. He is less deferential to the traditionalists and politics. Abdullah's view is that once the economy is established and a middle class is created political democracy can be successfully introduced. There is a fear that more democracy would result in more power for the Islamic extremists. The Hashemites have promoted education and the attraction of business. Abdullah has been very strong with the extremists. His campaign is Jordan First which changes the focus from any option of uniting Greater Syria under the Hashemites which Hussein held in the back of his mind.
Dr. Khawaldeh provided an introduction to Islam. The history of Islam sharing many prophets with Judaism and Christianity from Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
We also visited the U.S. Embassy for a Independence Day celebration on July 3rd. It was more for families being similar to a school carnival with lots of kids in attendance. The security around the embassy was most impressive many soldiers, pickups mounted with machine guns, armoured vehicles, concrete barriers, and roof top snipers.

We also had Arabic lessons which I am doing my best, but I am not going to be able to do more than say hello - Mar haba; thank you - Shukaran; and excuse me - afwan.

Fr. Haddad http://www.childrenofabrahampeacemakers.org/biography/ekonomosnabil_en.html and Sheikh Hamdi had a most interesting discussion about Interfaith Relations in Jordan. Fr. Haddad is Melkite Christian which is one of the original Christian churches since the first Christians were Arabs. It is affilated to the Roman Catholic in Rome. They are both passionate about coexistence and dialogue. Jordan has other Christian churches Greek Orthodox and Coptic. There has been some problems caused by evangelical protestant groups coming into Jordan from outside trying to convert these Arab Christian groups.

We had a panel session with four ordinary practicing Muslims. The two men and two women had some different perceptions. Head covering of women was a personal choice. But, the men seem to think that uncovered women were a distraction to men. One of the men was strongly of the view that drinking and sex before marriage were wrong. One of the women was divorced and her husband got the four children and took them out of the country.

Dr. Keilani gave a most interesting presentation about the radical islamic polictical movements. He wrote a book in 1990 on these groups. He was a former ambassador for Jordan and is a newspaper editor and columnist. The radicals came back from Afghanistan trained by Americans and brainwashed to their extremism. Many are now in Iraq, he is fearful of what happens when they come back to Jordan.